May 2006*

George A. Weiss Honored By Rabbinical College Of America

[New York City, May 2006] - - In recognition of his strong commitment to education, Jewish organizations and his caring for inner-city youth, money manager and founder of the philanthropy Say Yes to Education Inc., George A. Weiss, was honored by the Rabbinical College of America during its National Founders Dinner on May 21 at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

At the Dinner—which also celebrated the College’s 50th anniversary—Mr. Weiss, as well as two others, received an honorary degree. "It is a privilege to be here tonight and to receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from this esteemed institution," said Mr. Weiss. "It is very humbling to now be a part of a group that includes such illustrious individuals as, Gerald Ford, Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter, Henry Kissinger and Christine Todd Whitman, among other previous honorees."

Via Say Yes to Education, which he founded in 1987, Weiss has committed his time and over $50 million of his own money to provide full college or vocational school scholarships for almost 800 children in four cities—Philadelphia, Hartford, Cambridge and most recently Harlem. Not just a scholarship to attend college, Say Yes to Education is a comprehensive pledge to provide educational, emotional, social, medical, and even legal services support to enable every child in the program to achieve their full educational potential.

The son of parents who fled Austria during World War II, Mr. Weiss, 62, grew up in Brookline, MA. His family was poor but taught him to value learning. After college, he turned down a chance to attend Harvard Business School to support his parents. Having taken a job in Hartford as a stockbroker, in 1978 he started his own money-management business. Today, George Weiss Associates has more than 100 employees, manages more than $1 billion and has offices in Hartford and New York.

"One of the many reasons I admire the Rabbinical College of America so much is that besides fulfilling the Jewish obligation of "Tikkun Olam," the college also believes that education is a priceless commodity. And like Say Yes, RCA is truly making a difference in the lives of its students. Thank you Rabbinical College of America, for all that you do. You are truly a beacon in the educational community," said Weiss.

Mr. Weiss’ dedication to educational philanthropy does not end with his efforts for Say Yes to Education. As an alum and charter trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, during the University’s annual dinner last November he made a surprise donation of $14 million to be used for financial aid—pushing his total donations to the school to nearly $60 million.

The Rabbinical College of America (RCA), which serves as the New Jersey headquarters of the worldwide Lubavitch movement, is an internationally known institution of higher education, attracting students from throughout the United States and as far away as South Africa and Australia. More than 3,000 rabbis, educators and community leaders, now serving at Chabad Centers throughout the world, received their higher education at RCA. Licensed by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and accredited by the Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, the College grants a Bachelor of Religious Studies degree and rabbinic ordination.

Founded in 1987 by Hartford money manager George A. Weiss, Say Yes to Education, Inc. is a sponsorship and academic intervention program for inner-city students, which provides children with full college or vocational school scholarships. Not simply a scholarship program, Say Yes to Education forms partnerships with students and their entire families to provide them with full educational, emotional, social, legal and medical support—creating a positive, life-changing family endeavor to help break the cycle of poverty and dependency. It operates three chapters in Philadelphia, Hartford and Cambridge, and in 2004 opened its fourth and largest chapter yet in Harlem with 420 kindergartners.